Spurs' Victor Wembanyama 'Disappearing' Ahead of Rookie Year
LAS VEGAS — First impressions go a long way, and unfortunately for San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, his was not exactly ideal.
Any average spectator — assuming they actually watched the game — could tell that Wembanyama was a little out of practice during his Spurs debut against the Charlotte Hornets, though he still made his presence felt and showed potential. If the "rusty" conclusion wasn't self-decided, however, the 19-year-old confirmed it himself Sunday night.
"In the past month, I think basketball wasn’t even 50 percent of my schedule,” Wembanyama said following San Antonio's 85-80 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. “I can’t stand it. I know [getting drafted] was a special moment in my life, but I’m glad it’s over. I just want to hoop.”
Considering playing basketball is now earning him millions, one would think that his schedule consists of almost nothing but basketball, but it hasn't as of late. That's the unfortunate reality that the 19-year-old star is facing: His unique talents have earned him a negative following.
While the rest of the Spurs rookies and second-year players were practicing for Summer League and the California Classic, Wembanyama was throwing out pitches at Yankee Stadium. While his teammates practiced free throws, Wembanyama had plenty of practice high-fiving fans as he got off his private plane.
None of it is his fault, but he's certainly feeling the effects.
"I had so much s*** going on with the draft and with the media," Wembanyama said. "Two days ago was my first game — it made sense ... Before [Sunday], I had just two practices and one game, I was just getting going."
Add living in a new country to the mix, and it's no wonder Wembanyama had issues finding the bottom of the net during his debut. It's also no surprise that he now wants to temporarily vanish from the public eye.
"I need to sit down with the Spurs to know what the next months are going to be like," Wembanyama added Sunday night. "[I need to know] when to go on vacation, when to start back working out, where I’m going to practice. I’m probably going to disappear from the media for the next month, honestly."
Wembanyama's decision makes sense. He's played two games, gotten the taste of the NBA that the Spurs hoped to give him and even showed his potential — again, not having been locked into a basketball-focused routine.
Against the Blazers, the forward scored 27 points, adding 12 rebounds and three blocks to complete a well-rounded performance in his second game for San Antonio. His defensive presence was felt — even more than the stat sheet — as he made paint scoring extremely difficult for Portland, while simultaneously posing a threat in the post and from beyond-the-arc on offense.
Wembanyama's performance likely pleased the Spurs and coach Gregg Popovich, now fresh off of signing his new contract, and put him a spot to get better this offseason, which his teammates are excited for as well.
"[Victor] is special," Spurs second-year forward Jeremy Sochan said of his new teammate. "He's 7-5, or whatever he is, and is so mobile. He can move, he has touch."
That much was clear during Wembanyama's two Summer League games, but the internal feelings of the 19-year-old star? Not so much. Luckily for him, his teammates have dealt with the heat of fans and NBA stardom, even if not to the same extent.
"I just tell him 'You're Human'," Sochan said. "There's going to be ups and downs. [He's] young, so he needs just keep going and keep working. ... Take it easy, find easy looks and the it will all come to [him]."
If the difference of Wembanyama's performances from his first game to his second were any proof, it seems that basketball will come to him. His shooting certainly did at least, improving from under 16 to 67 percent in just two days, putting him in a position to improve further with more practice and consistency.
"He's got a big future and a big season coming up," Spurs Summer League coach Matt Neilson said following Wembanyama's final game of the tournament. "There was a lot of attention [on him], and I'd be lying if he didn't feel some of it, [but] I think he showed the talent that he is ... he's made a lot of good basketball plays."
Neilson's last point couldn't have been more true. Just as easily as you can find Wembanyama's name on the internet, you can find his highlights: dunks, rebounds, blocks, post-plays, 3-pointers. Vic has shown his ability to play well on all fronts, and Popovich — given his history — now has the chance to unlock those skills further.
So, what does Victor Wembanyama disappearing from the media really mean?
In short, not much. His temporary absence is a good thing, especially if it means that the rising star can get back to "hooping" the way he wants to. All in all, it just shows his level of maturity that sets him apart even more from the other rookies beside him.
Wembanyama is special — that much is certain — but now that he's gone until the regular season, it's becoming clearer that he's also human, as Sochan put it. And if he takes time to embrace that ahead of his rookie season, he'll only become that much more dangerous.
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